


Giving your heart away

by Aki_Haru



Series: You never have to guess (that I love you) [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal
Genre: (for now) - Freeform, Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi is learning how to love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, NO ROYAL SPOILERS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24861643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aki_Haru/pseuds/Aki_Haru
Summary: Goro doesn't quite remember when he started to trust them- the rest of the thieves, he means. Akira, he distinctly remembers. It was when he punched Goro across the face in Shido’s palace and yelled at him for being “a fucking idiot” and killed Shido’s cognition of him that Goro realised he could trust the leader of the phantom thieves.His realisation that it was love came later, when Akira had smiled at him and took his hand after the palace had collapsed, uncaring of what the rest of his teammates had to say about him, because to Akira, Goro would always be enough, never having to prove his worth to him.That being said, Goro really doesn’t know when he came to trust the rest of them. It’s a sobering thought: he had once vowed to kill all of them, yet here they are, smiling at him and offering him their friendship… their love.It leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Kurusu Akira/Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Phantom Thieves of Hearts - Relationship, Polythieves
Series: You never have to guess (that I love you) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798834
Comments: 6
Kudos: 115





	Giving your heart away

Goro doesn't quite remember when he started to trust them- the rest of the thieves, he means. Akira, he distinctly remembers. It was when he punched Goro across the face in Shido’s palace and yelled at him for being “a fucking idiot” and killed Shido’s cognition of him that Goro realised he could trust the leader of the phantom thieves. 

His realisation that it was love came later, when Akira had smiled at him and took his hand after the palace had collapsed, uncaring of what the rest of his teammates had to say about him, because to Akira, Goro would always be enough, never having to prove his worth to him. 

That being said, Goro really doesn’t know when he came to trust the rest of them. It’s a sobering thought: he had once vowed to kill all of them, yet here they are, smiling at him and offering him their friendship… their love. 

It leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. 

A light tap on the counter alerts him of Akira’s presence, looking up from his cup of coffee, he scowls at the other boy, tilting his head questioningly. “What?” he huffs, sipping from the lukewarm coffee as the other boy leans across the counter and into his personal space. It’s quiet at this time of day, the TV in Leblanc providing a sort of comfortable white noise that provides towards the sleepy atmosphere that seems to permeate the air. For once, they are alone, and despite his gruff demeanor, Goro treasures it. He’s sure Akira knows it too. 

Akira hums, “You have that look on your face.” he provides unhelpfully. Goro frowns, “what look?” he asks, watching Akira’s eyelashes flutter before a smile breaks his features. Akira shrugs, straightening and grabbing the coffee dispenser to refill Goro’s cup. “That type of look that says you’re overthinking something very simple.” he replies cheekily. Goro raises an eyebrow, “I wasn’t aware I had that type of ‘look’ in the first place.” 

Akira breathes a short laugh, shrugging before making his way around, coming to sit next to Goro on one of the bar stools. “Penny for your thoughts?”  Goro sits and considers whether he should share, and Akira waits patiently but steals a sip of coffee from Goro’s cup. Goro finally decides that, _oh why not_ , and sighs. “I’m just wondering how I came to trust your rag tag group of lovers. I couldn’t pinpoint the moment it happened. It’s a bit frustrating.” he supplies, crossing his arms and watching as Akira’s eyes widen just a fraction over the rim of the cup. 

“I don’t think trust can be pinpointed to a single moment, Goro.” Akira says, mildly amused. He places the cup down in favour of putting his palm on top of Goro’s gloved hand. Goro scowls, “Of course I know that. I’m not completely inept with human relationships. I just couldn’t pinpoint the moment I  _ knew _ .” 

“Well, do you trust me?” Akira asks. 

Goro thinks he’s an idiot. “Of course I trust you.” 

“Well, when did you realise you trusted me?” Akira asks again. 

Goro thinks of that punch, the look on Akira’s face as cognitive-Goro had pulled a gun on all of them, the tears that followed when he realised Goro was going to sacrifice himself to keep the whole group safe. The yelling that followed. He thinks of their outings, of their duel in mementos, of evenings spent laughing quietly together in the jazz club and their banter over billiards. Goro thinks of Akira’s smile, the one meant only for him and him alone. He realises that he trusts Akira as much as he loves him. 

Goro answers: “I don’t think you need to know the answer to that. Wouldn’t want to inflate your ego.” 

Akira rolls his eyes, taking his hand away from Goro’s to flick his forehead. Goro grumbles, rubbing the spot. “Well, regardless of you angsting over this-” 

“I am not  _ angsting  _ over this-” 

“Does it actually matter? You trust them, right? If you really need an answer, then maybe it was just… the inevitably of it. You spend time with them, you laugh together, eat together, talk together. You even watch me make out with them sometimes. I ‘trust’ that you wouldn’t let just anyone make out with me, right?” Akira teases. Goro narrows his eyes, “Are you saying that I only trust them because you do? How.. vain, of you.” 

“No, I’m saying that you trust them because they’re mine as much as they are yours.” Akira answers, as if it was that simple. 

Goro quiets. Akira frowns, watching as Goro’s facial expressions continue to shift in the lull of the cafe. Sighing, Akira takes Goro’s hand in his, linking their fingers together and waiting until Goro meets his eyes. “There’s more to this, isn’t there.” 

“There always is.” Goro replies bitterly. Akira waits, like he always does when Goro can’t do anything but fumble with his incapability to form normal fucking relationships with other people. He caves a minute later. “I don’t like not knowing when or  _ what  _ exactly made me trust them. I don’t like that I realised it in this damn cafe with none of them even being present. I don’t like that they haven’t done anything to earn my trust but they still have it like some damn con artists that can and will stab me in the back at every given opportunity.” he seethes, voice growing louder by every word. “With you, I knew. I knew because you pulled me away from death’s door and gave me a future that I didn’t even think I had any right to have! With them, it’s like they just… snuck their way into my heart waiting for a chance to break it into tiny little pieces that will eventually cut _you_ too." he spits. 

Akechi grits his teeth, his feelings spilling over into his words. "I hate them. I hate them and I hate that I trust them because they’re doing it for _you_. It's a disgusting feeling. Knowing that they took me in like a stray puppy on the street because they couldn’t bear to let you down! Oh we can't let our _leader_ down, we need to take poor Akechi Goro in to please him. Look at him bleeding all over this fucking ship. I am nothing to them. And yet, here I am, placing my trust in them because I'm just an idiot that can't seem to do anything right!” he finishes, voice cutting through the air like a hot knife.

It is after he’s done that he realises the death grip he has on Akira’s hands, and the words he had just spoken to Akira’s face as if he weren’t talking about his boyfriend’s other lovers like they were enemies to be rid of. Like Akira was the Thieves' master or some other sick rendition that came from Goro's rant. Goro realises his mistake when he sees the blank expression on Akira’s face. He pulls their hands apart as if burned, standing up and preparing himself to  _ run, get away. You messed up.  _

Akira snatches it back. 

“You trust them because they saved you.” Akira says, voice firm and strong. He forces Goro to sit back down, pulling their hands together to the small space between them. “It has nothing to do with me. They saved you by providing you a space to just be, to be  _ Crow _ , to be  _ Akechi Goro _ . To be one of _us_. They saved you because you are their friend. You trust them because they are your friends. Friends trust each other, believe in each other, support each other. They saved you because they trust you too. You think they did it for me? You’re wrong. If you think any of them wouldn’t say what they mean then you’re wrong. I don’t know what you think happened at Shido’s palace, but I am not the only one that accepted you. To forgive you. They didn’t do it for me. They didn’t do it for you either. They did it for themselves. You trust them because if it comes down to it, they wouldn’t hesitate to do the right thing, even if it scorns you. But they know you won’t, and that is why they trust you too.” 

Goro stares at the other man, Akira is looking at him with  _ Joker’s  _ eyes, the rebel and the leader of the phantom thieves. Goro is more than a little surprised at Akira's outburst, the normally quiet man so firm in the way he spoke, conviction in every word. Goro can't help the thud thud thud of his heart as he looks at Akira, the way he so firmly believes in everything he had just said. 

When Goro doesn't say anything in reply, Akira hooks their hands together tightly, quietly saying, _ I’m not letting you go.  _ The air between them is weighted with both their heavy breathing. Goro's red eyes meet muddled silver, determined and just a little bit angry. "Don't think so low of them. They're not like that." Akira says, voice tight but softer than before. 

Goro swallows the lump in his throat, “You make it sound like we’re living a life where friends and love can solve just about anything in this world.” 

Akira shakes his head, “It won’t solve anything, but it makes the world less jaded. It makes the world an easier place to live.” he says, gently guiding Goro to sit on his lap, where he can pull them into a tight hug. 

“You’re unbelievable.” Goro mutters against Akira’s neck. “You truly are an idiot. All of you are.” 

Akira kisses the spot behind Goro’s ear, pretending he doesn’t hear the hitch in Goro’s breathing or the wet spots on his shoulder. “Well, that just means you have to live in a world with these idiots. Think you can manage that?” 

Goro’s answers with a scoff. A few seconds later, Akira feels him nod against his neck, and that, for now, is enough. 

**Author's Note:**

> series series series


End file.
